Meet the Lower Case Letters

About this Book

Amusing rhymes and illustrations provide a simple visual and auditory method for letter mastery as children unlock the mystery of the letters’ shapes.

By giving life to each letter based on its shape, the rhymes playfully teach the letter components with the creative construction of verses that depict how the letters spend their time…, when they’re not busy doing their main job of making words!

Rhymes play an integral part in helping children develop critical thinking and memory skills, oral language, phonetic awareness, sound discrimination, and increased vocabulary, all of which are important building blocks of literacy.

The visual and auditory pictures created by the rhymes provide instruction on not only letter shape and sound but also the correct handwriting strokes required to form each letter, including forward, backward, downward, right, and left direction. For example:

• Letter a “acts like an acrobat aiming to ace her back somersault, with beauty and grace. a – acrobat” A child can thus visualize the backward circular handwriting stroke and downward stroke that are required to form letter a, as if she were doing her back somersault.

a acts like an acrobat aiming to ace

her back somersault with beauty and grace.

a – acrobat

• Letter r “likes to pretend he’s a rabbit or hare. He jumps down, then hops right, but stops in mid air. r – rabbit” A child can thus recall the required downward, upward, and forward handwriting strokes to properly form letter r.

r likes to pretend he’s a rabbit or hare.

He jumps down, then hops right, but stops in mid air.

r – rabbit

You’ll also notice that the capital letters are hidden in the illustration portions of each lower case letter page, providing a little “I Spy” fun. As you re-read the book, help your child recall the capital letters and note the similarities or differences between the two.

For lower case letters that look similar to or the same as their corresponding capital letters, the lower case letter rhymes relate back to the capital letter rhyme in order to make that connection. For example:

b bites big burgers just like his dad,

But he’s one belly fat ’cause he eats just a tad.

b – burgers

• “s stands like a snake, the same as her mother. Right now she’s in trouble for biting her brother. s – stands” (Capital letter S is the same.)

s stands like a snake, the same as her mother.

Right now she’s in trouble for biting her brother.

s – stands

Lastly, you’ll notice that the rhymes for the vowels (a, e, i, o, u) contain words with both the short and long vowel sounds. This presents an opportunity to discuss this fact, when your child is ready, along with the vowels’ special importance in that at least one vowel is required to make a word.

Recite the rhymes early on in play and while engaged in games and other fun activities. Children learn best through playful experiences, all of which serve as a springboard for literacy.

Once your child is ready for more focused instruction, use the rhymes as a tool to teach reading and writing skills.

**PAL Award Winner**

About this Book

Amusing rhymes and illustrations playfully introduce the alphabet and foster letter recognition by creatively giving “life” to the letters, based on their shapes, and revealing what they do when they’re not busy making words.

Rhymes are a powerful teaching tool and play an integral part in helping children develop critical thinking and memory skills, oral language, phonetic awareness, sound discrimination, and increased vocabulary.

The visual and auditory pictures created by the rhymes facilitate easy recall of not only the letter shapes and sounds but also how to correctly form the letters when writing them. For example:

• Reciting letter C’s rhyme, your child can recall that letter C looks like a circle; however, her right side remains open where the cats come in to doze.

• Reciting letter K’s rhyme, your child can visualize letter K flying the kite and recall that her right arm is stretched up and her right leg sticks forward for balance.

Children learn best through playful experiences, all of which serve as a springboard for literacy and help inspire subsequent reading and writing success. Recite the rhymes during play and while observing letters in daily and routine events. Add the rhymes to games and other fun activities that stimulate exploration and discovery.

As you read the book, engage your child in conversations about the letters and their activities that promote imaginative thinking. For example, why do you think letter I loves books? How can you stay fit like letter F? What would you cook at a barbeque with letter B?

• Younger children can point to their own head, arm, belly, etc., as you read about the letters’ anatomy.

(All titles also available to the trade through Ingram and Brodart)

**PAL Award Winner**

About this Book

Amusing rhymes and illustrations playfully introduce the alphabet and foster letter recognition by creatively giving “life” to the letters, based on their shapes, and revealing what they do when they’re not busy making words.

Rhymes are a powerful teaching tool and play an integral part in helping children develop critical thinking and memory skills, oral language, phonetic awareness, sound discrimination, and increased vocabulary.

The visual and auditory pictures created by the rhymes facilitate easy recall of not only the letter shapes and sounds but also how to correctly form the letters when writing them. For example:

• Reciting letter C’s rhyme, your child can recall that letter C looks like a circle; however, her right side remains open where the cats come in to doze.

• Reciting letter K’s rhyme, your child can visualize letter K flying the kite and recall that her right arm is stretched up and her right leg sticks forward for balance.

Children learn best through playful experiences, all of which serve as a springboard for literacy and help inspire subsequent reading and writing success. Recite the rhymes during play and while observing letters in daily and routine events. Add the rhymes to games and other fun activities that stimulate exploration and discovery.

As you read the book, engage your child in conversations about the letters and their activities that promote imaginative thinking. For example, why do you think letter I loves books? How can you stay fit like letter F? What would you cook at a barbeque with letter B?

• Younger children can point to their own head, arm, belly, etc., as you read about the letters’ anatomy.

(All titles also available to the trade through Ingram and Brodart)

Good evening, everyone! I’ve been really busy on some very exciting things that are coming in the near future but I wanted to give a big shout-out to all you amazing teachers out there. Although my boys are older now, I’m still so grateful to the incredibly caring teachers who touched their lives in such […]